A Heart Ensnared
by QueenCheetah
Summary: AU- In a world where humans aren't alone at the top of the food chain, an unlucky boy has a run-in with a particularly irritable demon. But will he and his friends find that falling for a fiend is complicated? Tendershipping and others- BxR, MxM, SxJ, YYxY (Please note: This story will almost certainly update slower than my others- thank you for your patience!)
1. Earnest Entrapment

"Ahhh!" Ryou Bakura gasped in pain. A sharp branch had ripped through his shirt. His left arm was now bleeding- he could feel the warm fluid leeching into his clothes. He knew he should bandage it before he ran into another branch and opened the gash further. But he kept running- deeper and deeper into the darkening forest. He could just make out the faint but strong voices behind him. The sun was setting fast and he must be farther into the trees before actual dusk fell.

'Oh no... what an idiot I am- if only I'd kept my mouth shut! Then I wouldn't be in this mess-!'

The pale boy was panting heavily- his body had always been somewhat frail, and he had trouble breathing while running.

'I can't outrun them- they're going to find me and murder me!'

He'd already given the group of bandits his coin pouch- but then he'd made a fatal mistake.

He had recognized the leader of the group from his 'Wanted' posters. He was a vile bandit who went by the name 'Ushio the Grizzly'.

And like an idiot, Ryou had blurted it out loud; right when they had been about to leave him alone with his empty cart and empty pockets.

It was hard, running through the blackening woods, trying to dodge trees and stones he couldn't even see. But the indistinct threats coming from somewhere behind him spurred him to make haste-

" _ **WHAAA**_ _ **A**_ _ **A**_ **!** " Ryou cried out in horror as the ground beneath him disappeared. He felt his heart freeze as physical reality seemed to twist, and he began falling into the Earth.

*WHAMPH!*

Ryou held back a whimper- he'd fallen hard on his left ankle. It felt like it might have been broken. But he knew if the thieves heard him cry out, he'd be dead in minutes.

Instead, he stayed silent, carefully observing his surroundings. The light was dimming, but he could make out a series of rough, muddy walls dug almost parallel to the ground. It looked like he'd fallen into a hunter's pit. A deep, Earthen hollow that would likely prove impossible to escape.

'...crap.'

There was nothing Ryou could do but sit on the damp dirt and listen anxiously to the noises above him.

The voices soon disappeared- it seemed that he had managed to elude the murderous outlaws. So now he could die a slow death of painful starvation and/or dehydration.

Wonderful.

The teenaged male shivered- whether from fear or cold, he wasn't certain. But the pain and exhaustion began to take over, and his mind drifted back to the beginning of last week.

His father had left him behind to 'guard the house' for him. Yes, that was his role- he was supposed to 'guard the archeological treasures' of their home while his father left him alone yet again.

Which was rather like ordering a mouse to guard the crown jewels.

The fair-skinned youth curled up into himself, clutching his bleeding arm.

He didn't understand why things had ended up this way. They had more than enough money to live comfortably without his father leaving every other month, but the man insisted. He had an obsession with 'treasure hunting.' Although the elder claimed it was an 'occupation;' Ryou knew it was beyond even that.

Dried pine needles poked into his uncovered skin, and the damp earth was rapidly taking his body heat.

He shivered as he drifted off into a painful sleep.

The boy's dreams were frenzied and violent. He thrashed about as the nightmares grew, until he finally kicked too hard and his ankle spasmed in fury.

" _G_ _AAAHH_ _!_ " He yelped in agony as his ankle throbbed. Ryou held the leg still and waited for the pain to fade. He gasped as he gingerly felt the injured joint- it was almost too tender to touch. On the off-chance that he figured out a way to climb out of the pit, he still wouldn't be able to manage it. Not for several days- too long to survive in the pit.

Struggling not to give in to hopelessness, he laid back down and awkwardly hugged his sides. He tried to ignore the pain as he attempted to fall back into his unpleasant slumber.

The harsh morning light shot above the top of the pit, and the warm rays did not reach the miserable youth. Covered in wet dirt, blood, and pine needles, the body almost blended into the pit with perfect camouflage.

"Hnn? And what have we here?"

...Of course, an experienced trapper would already know something was in the pit.

Ryou's head twitched as there was a sudden, loud noise from somewhere right next to his right ear.

"Hey."

Another loud 'Thump!'

" _Hey!_ Wake up!"

Someone was throwing large rocks into the pit. They hit the ground around Ryou with heavy 'thuds!'

"The next one's going at your head!"

The voice threatened the still groggy youth. The despondent boy shook his head and tried to sit in a half-kneeling position. Each time he shifted his left leg it gave a sharp jab of warning. The despondent youth peered upwards at the (supposed) trapper.

Had Ryou been in less pain, and more lucid, he would surely have yelled in fright at the being leering over the edge of the pit. Clearly not human, the trapper had a wild, thick mane that seemed more like an animal's pelt than hair. His canines were like elongated fangs, glistening in the morning sun. His eyes were a deep, blood-red that seemed to be glowing with malice. His pale hands appeared human, but ended in rather wicked-looking claws that were thicker than fingernails.

The man-like creature was one of the wild beasts said to live in the forest- a species of cunning, solitary predators known as a 'demons.'

And he seemed most displeased with his latest catch.

"You- You're a demon!" Ryou gasped as his mind slowly caught up with his eyes.

The demon rolled his red eyes and snorted. "Yes, I've noticed. And you're a _human_ \- what are you doing in my game trap? I don't need a scrawny scrap like you scaring off all the other prey!"

"I'm sorry... I fell last night while I was trying to get through the woods." Ryou lowered his head- his body still ached all over.

The demon let out a hiss of impatience. "Well? Aren't you going to beg? Plead? Grovel?"

"Why?" The tired boy sounded as though he was already gone. His eyes looked dull and his voice was flat. He was exhausted and couldn't summon the energy to fight back, even with words.

The demon was almost struck dumb. "What?! What the hell do you mean, ' _Why?!_ ' _So that I won't kill you,_ _you fool_!"

The human gave a grim laugh. "If I was still in the pit I would be dying of thirst and hunger. It would take several days of miserable torture before I would finally pass." Ryou shook his head sadly. "If you really plan to eat me, then I suppose I'll be dead far sooner. So it'll mean less suffering, I suppose."

The fiend sneered, showing off his sharp canines.

"You could try and escape, you know. Fight back."

"I can't run." The boy pointed to his badly swollen ankle. "And I couldn't beat you in a fight even if you had your hands tied behind your back."

The demon snorted in agreement. "That's true, but at least you would die fighting. Or would you prefer that your tombstone list you as some random, cowardly trespasser?"

The fragile youth ignored the barb, and looked upwards with hopeful eyes. The hickory-tinted orbs seemed to plead with the demon. "I know you owe me no kindness, but... would you hear my humble last request? Would... would you please grant me the mercy of a quick death? I've seen the suffering of a prolonged end, and I wish to leave this world with a peaceful mind... if possible."

The pale fiend frowned. "Gods, you're a soft-headed dolt. Why the hell are you even in my forest?"

The boy's reply held no expectation. "I was attacked by a group of bandits- they only wanted my coin purse but then I recognized one of them. So they set upon me and I fled."

"You didn't want to die then, but you want to die now." The beast deadpanned in disbelief.

Ryou gave a sad shrug. "Ironic, no? But, I think I was more afraid of what they were going to do to me before they killed me- one guy was talking about removing certain organs while my heart still pulsed."

The demon's face twisted in repulsion. "The things you creatures do to each other..."

With nothing better to do than lay down and wait for the angel of death, the boy decided to satisfy his curiosity. "Do demons not attack one another?"

The white-haired demon shrugged. "We fight, yes; but not for coins or sheets of paper. We only fight for land, or food, or mates. Some demons do collect stones and metal 'treasures;' but they're usually only looking at the visual qualities."

"Oh, like gems and gold?"

The other white-haired being nodded. "Correct. They can see the beauty in those things without the distracting need to determine the 'market value' and all that crap."

"Hmm, so everything has a different value to different demons... It does tarnish the art to try and put a number on it... it's rather admirable to put aside that fixation, I suppose." The trapped boy looked at the fiend in innocent curiosity. "But you said 'some demons'- do you not collect jewels such as those?"

"Oh, I'm very fond of jewels- but I'm not as fond of digging for them." The demon smirked. "No, I prefer to steal them from the bodies of the humans foolish enough to trespass on my lands." The fiend gave a nasty grin at the injured human, but soon his face fell flat. "I'm not fooled, you know."

"Eh?"

"I know you're just distracting me while your ankle heals. And then you're going to dart off like a rabbit, turning tail in shame."

The boy tilted his head in bewilderment. "But... I already told you- my ankle's probably broken. I can't run, and a few minutes of talking certainly wouldn't help."

Now the fiend seemed to be growing angry. "Do you dare treat me like a simpleton?! That ankle is far less broken than your brain!

"I meant no insult; I just mean that I'm weak and lost. You say these are your lands, which means you know these woods- what chance would I have of escaping your maw?" The hopeless human looked up at his captor. But the demon baffled Ryou when he suddenly grabbed his own head and growled. "Ergh... you are _such_ an _irritating_ fool! I don't actually  eat humans, you _dolt_!"

Ryou blinked- he'd always been warned that demons were carnivorous monsters. "You- you don't?"

"NO! You're all disgusting, for one thing! And I don't like my dinner talking back, for another!"

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence in which the two beings each contemplated the other's logic. A low pulse of pain reminded the trapped human of his situation, and he looked upward again.

"Um, could you, erm, possibly help-"

The demon huffed and leaned down, one arm extended out. "Yeah, yeah. Get your scrawny hide out of there- I want to catch some real meat." With astonishing strength, the demon easily lifted the teen out of the Earthen hole with just one arm.

"Thank you." The young man was rather impressed with the demon's brawn, but wasn't sure how to voice this admiration.

"...you're welcome." Confused by the gratitude, the demon began to surmise that the boy truly was injured. He hadn't scarpered yet, for one thing. And now that he could see it up close, the human's left ankle was a rather nasty shade of red and blue swirls.

Giving another snort of annoyance, the demon scoured the forest floor before picking something up.

"Here." The light-haired fiend handed the boy a rather sturdy branch. It had a nice crook at the top, allowing it to be used like a crude crutch.

"Thank you, um- sorry, I don't know your name- my name is Ryou Bakura?"

Two crimson eyes blinked in slight surprise. "Um, Bakura. I am known only as Bakura."


	2. Noxious Neighbors

" _Here." The light-haired fiend handed the boy a rather sturdy branch. It had a nice crook at the top, allowing it to be used like a crude crutch._

" _Thank you, um- sorry, I don't know your name- my name is Ryou Bakura?"_

 _Two crimson eyes blinked in slight surprise. "Um, Bakura. I am known only as Bakura."_

Ryou Bakura blinked at the demon's introduction.

"Oh? What an odd coincidence that we share names... but nevermind." The injured youth brushed himself off and gave a polite half-bow. "Thank you for your mercy. Not many would have mourned my loss, but I do appreciate it."

The bemused demon snorted. "So you really have _nothing_ to go back to in that town?"

Ryou sighed. "Well, there is Malik- **OH CR** ***** **P**!"

The pale demon actually jumped when the human suddenly shrieked.

"What the hell was that for-!"

" _Malik!_ Oh no, I forgot about the plan! What day is today?! Oh, I have to get back _immediately!_ " Ryou frantically rushed towards the opposite direction- and promptly fell face-first to the forest floor.

*Thwump!*

"Oww..." He groaned as he struggled to get back on his feet. The pale boy started huffing as he struggled to control his breathing.

"Idiot! What do you think you're doing?!" The demon hissed at the strange youth. "You're going to

break your other ankle, rushing off like that!" He managed to lift the boy back up, but Ryou shook off any further help.

"No, no, you don't understand! I have to get back to town- now! My friend is in danger! He could die if I don't bring him the money!"

"Money?" The other male frowned. "What, does he owe a debt collector?"

Ryou shook his head as he struggled to (painfully) force his good leg to hold his weight. "No, it's not that- he needs the money to escape from... here."

The demon raised an eyebrow. "And why, pray tell, does he need to escape?"

"His father is a very cruel man... Malik's mother used to protect their children, but then she passed away... there was never any proof, but everyone suspected that her death was not..."

"Natural." The demon finished grimly.

Ryou nodded. "So, he turned his wrath on Malik and his sibling. He was merciless, particularly when he was drunk." The boy gave a horrified shudder.

Bakura frowned in disgust. "So why the hell didn't your friend run away sooner?"

"He didn't have the money, for one thing- his father is ruthless, and he would no doubt hire huntsmen to track him down. Malik would need to get farther away than he could possibly travel by foot." The youth's hickory-toned eyes began to water. "But the main reason was his sister. His father usually attacked him, but he was terrified that he might start harming her more if he left."

"Then what changed? What's so important about today?"

"His sister was shopping at the market one day when she met a handsome foreigner." Ryou began limping towards the town, the demon curiously following. "He's very kind, and he's absolutely taken with her. He promised to help her escape from her father's grasp, but she wouldn't leave without Malik. So the man swore to send his brother, Odion, to take them both to his homeland some day."

The fiend easily kept pace with the injured human. "And that day was today?"

Ryou shook his head, his white hair flinging bits of twig about. "No, the plan was for them to leave tomorrow, but he asked me to give him the money I promised this morning so he can have it ready. They'll need it to start a new life someplace."

"So, you're giving him money so he can leave?"

The pale boy nodded sadly. "I'll miss him, but I can't stand seeing him being tortured by that monster."

"Monster?"

"Oh!" Ryou quickly waved his arms in frantic appeasement. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean someone of your kind- I meant a 'horrible person.'"

The demon raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.

"His house is near the Western edge of town- I recognize those rocks; it's not too far from here."

Bakura frowned. "Does it have a red roof with straw thatching?"

"Yes, that's Malik's home!"

The fiend nodded. "I know where that is- their yard almost borders my lands. Here, this way is swiftest." He pointed towards a faint trail running through the woods. "I use this path to patrol my lands- it runs within a few yards of their property."

"May I-"

"Yes! Cripes, just get going already!" The frustrated fiend growled as he followed the strange human male. He'd never known someone to be so infuriatingly polite!

"My thanks!" Ryou gasped as he continued hobbling along the path. It wasn't long before the white-haired duo finally saw the back of the home Ryou'd described.

Suddenly, a horrible screech shattered the woodland air.

"MALIK!" Ryou's heart dropped, and he limped as fast as he could towards the back door. He'd recognized the voice, and was horrified to think of what had just happened.

Bakura, meanwhile, was starting to pick something up with his demon nose- the foul stench of human blood. He followed after the bruised boy, his eyes narrowing in unease.

"What- Bakura, what is all this?!"

"Huh? Marik?!" The white-haired fiend stared in disbelief as another demon suddenly appeared from the woods. "What are you doing so close to human territory?"

The blonde demon frowned and tilted his tanned head. "I heard someone screaming, and then you yelling- and now all I smell is human blood! What's going on?"

"I'm not sure, but it's not good!"

" _ **Help!"**_ There were more cries from inside the large home. Ryou was currently stuck at the back entrance. The concerned youth tried to open the heavy door, but it was locked.

"MOVE!" Bakura quickly pushed the teen aside, and aimed a powerful kick at the lock mechanism. The door burst open, and Ryou limped inside as fast as he could.

The first thing he saw was the back of Malik's father. He had his right hand raised, and was glaring down at his injured son.

" _You will **never** escape from me!"_

There was a glint of steel, and Ryou watched in horror as the enraged man sliced into his son's torso.

"NO!" Ryou's scream startled the old man, and Malik managed to shove him backwards. The cruel sire fell to the floor, stunned to find an audience to his crimes.

Meanwhile, the two demons watched as the other human ran over to the injured boy. Ryou's face drained as he looked at his wounded friend.

Blood. There was so much blood!

"Malik! Oh no, oh no- quick-" Ryou began ripping off pieces of a tablecloth to wrap around his friend's chest injury. "Please don't die; please don't die!"

The old man seemed to realize he'd gone too far, and the two demons began snarling at the assailant. The cowardly wretch threw the knife aside and fled through the front door. Neither of the fiends gave chase- getting involved in human affairs was usually against their interests. Instead, they turned their focus on the two human friends.

"Malik, what happened?! Where's Ishizu?!"

"Change- *gasp* of plans. I had Odion take her- *wheeze* with him yesterday."

"She went without you?!" Ryou was shocked.

Malik ducked his head slightly. "Erm, not- *gasp* exactly... I kinda, sorta, er... spiked her evening tea; so she was unconscious. Then Odion put her onto his merchant's cart and- *cough* pulled a hat over her face, like she was sleeping."

Ryou was furious. He seemed to puff up like a mad cat. "Malik, you acted like an absolute imbecile! Why would you do that without warning me?! He was going to kill you!"

"I thought about it... *gasp* I gave all the money to Ishizu- father's almost broke, so he could never hire more than one set of hunters to track us. If she got away first, then I could leave and they would be more likely to find me instead of her. She'd be safe."

"Malik..." The sound of his friend's voice as he spoke was too much. Ryou began sobbing as he gently hugged his friend's bleeding body. "Malik, please... don't do things like that. Please..."

Soon the human youths were both crying on each other's shoulders.

The demons watched in quiet fascination. Marik turned to the other fiend. "Hey, Bakura."

"What."

"Would you ever cry like that if I was hurt?"

"Certainly."

The blonde fiend was shocked by the instant reply. "Really?"

"Oh yes. Of course, they would be tears of joy. But it'd still sound the same, I think." Bakura smirked.

"...b*stard."

The paler demon cleared his throat and nodded towards the two humans. "Perhaps now you can explain just what, exactly, we all just witnessed?"

"His injuries are not all deep, but he still needs care and rest." Ryou gave the demon a surprisingly stubborn look. "I appreciate the situation, but I'm afraid I must put my friend's health before your curiosity." He carefully began wrapping a blanket around his tanned companion. "Right now I need to find a safe place for him to recover."

The bloodied boy seemed to be on the verge of losing consciousness, and he looked pitifully weary.

"Why not just keep him here? This is his family's house, am I right?" Bakura gestured to the surrounding quarters.

"I wish I could, but... what if his father comes back?" Ryou whispered fearfully to the fiends.

But the strange new demon suddenly gave a loud suggestion. "That's alright- we can take him to Bakura's house! It's close nearby, and there's plenty of peace and quiet!"

Bakura scowled- since when did he volunteer his home as a _human_ _sanctuary_?! But the look of hopeful relief on the white-haired human's face was hard to resist. Before the demon could protest further, the maimed boy gave a faint cough.

Bakura snarled under his breath, his ears folding back against his head. 'Dammit.' "Fine, whatever- not like it's far."

Ryou let out a cry of gratitude, and Marik quickly began forming a make-shift litter to bring the other human along. Soon the dark-skinned demon was balancing the wounded Malik on a 'cot' made of chair legs, blankets, and a rather large piece of oak wood. Bakura could only scowl as the strange group slowly left the disheveled home.

' _Great_ \- and now my home is going to smell like bloody humans.'


	3. Auspicious Accord

Ryou remained uneasily quiet as the strange group marched through the forest. His eyes never left his ailing friend. The thin blonde was still, his eyes closed from exhaustion and pain.

The owner of the lands they were traversing was also silent, although his thoughts were more indifferent.

'This is pathetic... why the hell am I doing this again? ...no idea if that other brat's even going to make it.' Bakura glanced at the wounded human. His face had turned a greenish-hue, and his breathing was faint. 'Tch- we're going to drag his bleeding carcass all over _my lands_ and _into my house_ \- and for _**what?**_ Humans are pitiably weak- we're going to get his stinking blood on everything I own only to drag his dead *ss back the same damn way to bury it!' The pale demon scowled but didn't voice his thoughts.

The other inhuman traveler was slightly more sympathetic- if only out of curiosity.

'Hmm... human blood smells strange... wonder how much they have? This one's lost a lot- poor thing. Kinda hope he lives.' The blonde fiend was not used to tending to humans, but he made extra efforts not to jostle the bleeding boy as he carried his 'stretcher.'

"We're here."

Ryou stared at the strange house laying just ahead of them- it was an earthen structure, made of stone and muddy grout. The front door was made of wood, dyed sage green with wild comfrey. There were round windows on each side, made of what seemed to be natural glass adhered to dry tree roots. The roof was covered in dark, wooden panels, and a small chimney poked out to one side.

It was a modest but attractive little hideaway.

Bakura unlocked the large front door and allowed his (mostly uninvited) guests inside. Marik set down the litter on the floor next to a wooden table.

Ryou looked over his friend's injuries. "D-do you have some soap I could use?"

Bakura had not intended to help (certainly he'd done enough by allowing the use of home!), but for some reason the boy's doe-brown eyes seemed ready to tear up.

Eager to avoid another crying session, the fiend snorted and pointed to a rough bar of tallow and lye.

"Many thanks!" The youth gasped as he grabbed the handmade cleanser.

"There's a stash of mead under the sink if you need something stronger." Marik casually added, earning a furious glare from the homeowner.

" _I didn't say you could offer my personal stockpile as a cure!"_ Bakura hissed at the other demon.

The human quickly tried to appease the bickering fiends. "Um, that's quite alright, thank you- this should be fine." Ryou quickly set to work using a clean cloth and a bucket of water.

The white-haired demon snorted. He hadn't given the boy permission to use those, either, but at least he wasn't destroying his (formerly secret) cache.

'Looks like I'll have to find another spot- dammit. Where _hasn't_ that blonde dimwit looked?'

Marik, meanwhile, watched with slight fascination as Ryou gingerly tended to his friend's wounds. Once the dried blood had been washed from the tanned skin, it was obvious that the damage was not as bad as it had looked.

Ryou sighed and said a quiet prayer as he worked. Somehow, Malik's vital areas had all been avoided. Though he was covered in long gashes, they were mostly shallow. Unfortunately, the boy did not have much extra fat on his body, so the wounds still opened a large number of blood vessels.

'That explains the excessive bleeding...' Ryou bit his lip as he worked, unaware that both of the demons were now watching him with mild intrigue.

"Will he live?" Bakura tactlessly blurted out.

The nervous human nodded. "I think so... it's not as bad as I first thought. But he will still need careful tending and protecting for several days. I shudder to think of his father returning..." Ryou shivered as he pictured the wild-eyed man he'd seen earlier. There were no words for the horror of watching someone mutilate their own flesh and blood for no reason.

Marik looked thoughtfully at the still-silent figure. "He mustn't be moved for a while. He'll have to stay here."

Bakura nearly screamed- why was his damned neighbor so determined to offer up his lodgings without consent?!

"MARIK-" He started to snarl, but before the furious fiend could continue, he was interrupted by a shyer voice.

"Um, Bakura, sir? I-I would never expect such a great kindness to be without recompense... and I would be glad to repay you in whatever medium you feel is appropriate." He gave a sincere bow while the demon mulled over his options.

"Hmm- well, assuming you'll be staying with your 'friend' to care for him, that will mean feeding and lodging the _both_ of you for well over a week." The crimson-eyed beast frowned. "You will owe me quite a debt."

Ryou shifted awkwardly. "Erm, well, I know that you don't set much in stock by human currency- perhaps I can bring you some valuables from my own home to peruse?"

"As we've discussed, you humans place far different values on your 'trinkets' and such than us demonfolk." A faint smirk crossed Bakura's face. "But, I do think there is one thing you humans greatly underestimate would be _very_ satisfying."

Something about the way he said that made Ryou Bakura feel uneasy. "Um, yes?"

"Manual labor." Bakura deadpanned. "You shall provide physical services for me, such as cleaning and cooking, until you have repaid your use of my home."

"Oh! Oh, that sounds fair, yes!" Ryou gasped in relief. "I am often alone, so I'm well acquainted with housekeeping."

The demon held out one pale hand. Ryou barely hesitated before shaking it firmly.

"We have an accord."

"Not sure you got the better deal there, Bakura." Now it was Marik's turn to smirk. "That human's pretty skinny- I don't think you'll get much hard labor out of him."

Bakura snorted. "Humans are useless for heavy work. I'm talking about the domestic stuff I hate doing."

"Yeah, but aren't you pretty useless for heavy work, too?"

"Piss off, Marik!"

There was a faint chuckle from somewhere near the floor. The three standing males looked downwards in surprise.

" **Malik!"** Ryou was elated to see that his friend was feeling better, and had clearly been listening in on the conversation.

Although his voice was raspy and tired, the words were still audible. "Ryou- where are *cough* we?"

"We're in a small house outside the back of your homestead."

"Oh." The tired youth closed his eyes again. "Think I'm gonna sleep now..."

"Alright, just let me know if you need-" Ryou broke off as his friend let out a deafening snore.

The two demons were baffled. Marik sounded like he was between concern and laughter. "Did- did he really just fall asleep that fast?! He must really be wounded!"

Ryou sighed. "Actually, that's... really about normal for Malik." The human fought back a yawn of his own as he mentally reflected, '...not that 'normal' often defines Malik Ishtar.' Malik let out another snore, and his friend set about double-checking his wounds.

Marik looked intrigued, but didn't say anything. Instead, the darker-toned demon roughly steered his friend out of earshot and began whispering.

"Hey, Bakura... you sure you wanna keep a human around?"

The householder smiled wryly. "Oh yes. He's quite amusing, and I've been thinking of getting a pet."

"A pet?" The blonde tilted his head in confusion. "Bakura, you don't keep 'humans' as pets. That's 'cats' or 'dogs' you're thinking of."

"And who says I can't have a human as a pet? I don't feel like picking up after some animal, and I want something to amuse me."

Marik snorted. "You've got a point there."

The white-haired demon grinned. "Besides, humans can make decent conversation, and they also don't- _ACK_!" Bakura's voice gave out as he choked on his words. " _What the hell are you doing?!_ " He yelled and pointed at the alabaster human.

"Hmm?" Ryou paused- he had just shucked off his shirt and was now unbuttoning his trousers. "I'm undressing-?"

"I can see _that_!" Bakura's face was growing slightly red, while Marik merely stared. "Why are you undressing _here_?!"

"Oh, well, Malik's still badly injured; and I figured he could use some make-shift 'pillows' when you put him on the floor to sleep."

The hairs on the back of Bakura's neck visibly bristled, and he pointed at the mattress. " _He can sleep on the bed!_ I'm not a heartless b*stard!"

"Oh, good- I didn't want to assume anything." Ryou grabbed his shirt and began to pull it back over his fluffy hair.

"Nah; don't trouble yourself -you can leave it off." Marik smirked at the pale human.

 _*THWAM!*_

"Ow-ow-ow!" The blonde demon rubbed his head where his 'friend' had hit him. "It was just a joke! Damn, Bakura, calm down!"

The pale resident scowled, but was distracted when he noticed Ryou trying to lift Malik onto the bed.  
"Hold it." The slim demon easily lifted the injured boy onto the feather-filled mattress.

Ryou stared, forgetting that the landowner had already displayed his tremendous strength when he lifted him from the pit.

"Wow... um, thank you."

"No problem." Bakura gave a dismissive wave, but the conscious boy wasn't convinced.

"Bakura- you and Marik saved our lives. I'm most grateful. Please, allow me to cook dinner for you both tonight."

"Hmm..." The fiend nonchalantly brushed aside a stray lock of hair. "An interesting proposal... but how do I know you won't try to poison us?"

Ryou thoughtfully placed a finger on his chin. "I didn't think demons could be poisoned... how odd. Hmm... but if you'd like, I can take a few bites of the same food beforehand- and then you can watch and see if I keel over."

Malik's hoarse voice suddenly called out from the bed. "Of course, with Ryou's cooking, you might just keel over anyway!"

Ryou frowned and snapped at the sniggering patient. "You're supposed to be resting, so be quiet!"

Malik only gave a crazy laugh. "Hey, tell them about the time you exploded those potatoes at my house!"

The less-injured human flushed as he spluttered back, "t-that was a fluke! I've gotten a lot better since then!"

Marik couldn't resist chuckling along with the nearby patient. "You were right- this is amusing."

Bakura just smirked.


	4. Culinary Crisis

With Malik tended and settled, Ryou began to plan the dinner he'd promised the demons. Bakura had several slabs of steak preserved in his root cellar, and he brought the salted beef up to the pantry.

"Oh, those look great!' Ryou nodded as he looked over the portions. "Hmm, but they'll still need some spices... these woods aren't all that far from town... maybe I can find some seasoning herbs in the forest? Although I'm not sure what would be fresh at this time of the year... we usually buy our herbs from the market." The uninjured human explained.

But the paler demon snorted and waved a hand in dismissal. "I have some spices- you should be able to make due with them."

Ryou was guided over to the tiny kitchen (not much more than an iron stove, a rough stone sink, and a few hickory cabinets) and given instructions.

The wood-burning stove was very old, but quite clean. The property owner explained where the various supplies were (spices, skillets, skewers) and Ryou set to work cooking up four fresh steaks.

The boy was obviously skilled, and he made good use of the spices and stove.

It only took a few minutes for the small house to fill with the mouth-watering smell of sizzling sirloin.

Malik wasn't much of a meat-eater, but even he woke up when the scent reached his nose.

Marik was gracious enough to set the small, wooden table, and he and the other demon each took a seat. Bakura's apprehension of the unknown chef's skill vanished the instant he was handed his plate.

He'd never seen such a perfect looking piece of beef. Marik seemed to agree, and the two carnivorous demon quickly tucked in.

The homeowner paused as the flavor enveloped his senses. It was _delicious_. Bakura had never tasted meat this flavorful; so juicy and tender and smokey...

He savored every bite.

Meanwhile, the human chef was hovering anxiously by the table, still not taking a seat. "Was... was it alright? I don't make steak often, so it might be a little under-cooked..."

Bakura didn't bother hiding his astonishment. "It was perfect."

Ryou flushed at the high praise. "Oh, thank you. Would you like more-" There was a sudden choking sound from Marik's direction. His eyes had grown wide, and he started gasping for air.

"Marik?!" Ryou could only stare in shock as the blonde demon began twitching violently in his seat.

 _*THUD!*_ The dark-skinned fiend fell to the floor and laid still.

"Marik?! _**Marik!**_ " Ryou screeched in horror. Was the larger demon somehow allergic to the herbs?! But why wasn't Bakura also-

"Nnh-ck... heh- heheh- BWHAHAHA!" The tanned demon couldn't hold it in any longer- he began laughing like a maniac as he rolled on the floor.

Ryou's jaw dropped as Malik began snorting as well. "Oh, that was priceless!"

The smaller human gaped in shock as his friend snickered. "Wha- that was a _ **joke?!**_ _Ma_ _r_ _ik_?! _Malik_?! _Did you two plan this?!_ "

Malik grinned and tried not to laugh as he shook his head. He failed. "No- *hah!* it was all his *haha!* idea!"

Ryou fumed as Bakura began snorting as well. Marik resumed his seat, his mouth still stretched in a mischievous grin.

"Hmph. Fine. See if I ever cook for you three again!"

Malik snickered. "Sorry, Ryou; I couldn't resist!"

The white-haired human sighed. Perhaps all demons were accomplished pranksters?

He looked around thoughtfully. 'Maybe Malik is part demon too.' He glanced at the two still-chuckling blondes. 'That wouldexplain a _lot_.'

Shortly after finishing his own plate, Malik fell back into a deep slumber. Ryou carefully checked his friend's wounds again before heading out with the two demons.

"I should head back home for the night, and you need to learn the boundaries if you're going to stay with Bakura." Marik explained. So the unusual trio walked towards the edge of white-haired demon's territory. Ryou still had to use the rough 'cane' that Bakura had given him, but he was able to hobble a little faster than before.

Marik casually pointed out different parts of the forest, and Ryou listened aptly. It barely took them half an hour to reach the faint signs that marked the border- the trees were all marked up with the same deeply-scratched symbol. The carving looked rather like an 'M' with a half-circle connecting the bottom 'legs.'

"This mark means that these woods belong to me." Marik explained proudly.

"I see..." Ryou nodded thoughtfully as he memorized the carvings. "..and, what is Bakura's symbol?"

"Four legs, two long ears, and a short tail- it's a jack-*ss!"

*THWAM!*

"Owowow!" Marik whined as he rubbed his head. "I was just _kidding_!"

The unamused demon scowled and pointed to a nearby oak trunk. " **This** is my symbol."

Ryou saw the deep gouge in the bark- it looked like a 'B' with the top and bottom lines extended past the left edge.

"Study it well. You will need to be careful if you do not wish to accidentally trespass on yet _another_ demon's lands."

Slightly abashed, Ryou nodded quietly as he studied the markings.

"I'm going to head back now- you guys take care, alright?" Marik gave a final wave as he disappeared into the thick woods past the border.

"Thank you for everything!" Ryou called after the tanned fiend.

Bakura frowned and muttered, "Good riddance." But he didn't bother saying anything more- he knew he'd see the berserk blonde soon enough. Marik was like a tick- barely noticeable at first, but quickly growing into a huge pain that was impossible to remove. "Come on, we should head back."

Ryou dutifully followed the red-eyed demon back along the same forest path.

The march back was far quieter (mainly due to the more muscular demon's absence).

"Um..." Bakura paused and turned around when he heard the strange youth speak to him. "I'm so glad that Malik is doing better now... thank you." The short human bowed, his pale hair falling over his thin shoulders. "Truly."

The demon blinked- it was odd, being thanked in such a heart-felt way.

"Um, sure. Whatever."

They walked along in a fairly comfortable silence. Eventually the non-human spoke up again.

"So... how long?"

Two hickory-hued eyes blinked in confusion. "Um, 'how long' what?"

"How long have you two been mates?"

Ryou stared, but he soon started laughing. "Thankfully, never! Malik's been my best friend for years- we met when we were children."

"So, you were friends from way back in childhood?"

The shy youth rubbed the back of his neck. "Erm, not exactly... he used to kinda beat me up... a lot."

"..." The fiend stared with a flat expression. "...the midwife dropped you, didn't she."

"Hey!" Ryou pouted and Bakura smirked- he had to admit, it was a very cute pout. "You saw his... home life. Malik had a hard time growing up. He didn't know how to treat other people, so he did the only things he learned when it came to others."

"Like his father."

The human youth nodded sadly. "It took him a while to start trusting people- it didn't help that they rarely trusted him back. My father even forbade me from playing with him- but I would sneak out whenever he was busy."

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't have taken you for a rebel."

The boy flushed. "Well, Malik _was_ my only friend- he's a bit crazy, so maybe some of that rubbed off on me." Ryou gasped as he realized how that sounded. "Oh, but he's very loyal and sincere!"

The demon snorted. "Funny, that sounds a bit like Marik."

"Is he your friend?"

Bakura paused for a second. "...hmm… I haven't killed him yet, so yeah; I guess so."

"...ah."

Ryou gasped as he suddenly stumbled- he was still having trouble walking, even with his 'cane.'

He was just getting his balance back when, without warning, Bakura grabbed him and lifted him up.

"Ahh!" The human youth cried out in shock as he was tossed over the demon's shoulder. "Bakura?! What are you doing?!"

"You shouldn't walk on that ankle all day. You're going to make it worse if you stress the joint while it's still healing."

"Oh." Ryou's pale face flushed and he fell quiet. "Um, thank you."

'Hnn?' The demon was bemused by the boy's red face, but attributed it to pain.

There was a short stretch of silence as the two made their way back through the forest undergrowth. Ryou was still quite curious about demonfolk and their culture, but wasn't sure how to voice his questions. He didn't wish to anger the rugged fiend who was currently carrying him. Still, his curiosity grew as he marveled at the ease with which the demon had hoisted him up.

"So, um... I know humans don't know much about demon-kind; in fact, I think most of what I've heard is just legends or old wives' tales..." Ryou couldn't see Bakura's face, so he spoke as politely as possible. "W-would you be offended if I asked a few questions? I'm very curious, and I hate to be misinformed..."

Bakura didn't really comment- he knew the walk back would be slower (seeing as he was carrying over 100 lbs of excess weight). It'd probably be less dull with some conversation.

"Sure. Fire away."

Ryou felt himself smiling slightly- as irritable as he could be, it seemed the fair-haired demon wasn't a total anti-social grouch.


	5. Quilted Quota

" _So, um... I know humans don't know much about demon-kind; in fact, I think most of what I've heard is just legends or old wives' tales..." Ryou couldn't see the fiend's face, so he spoke as politely as possible. "W-would you be offended if I asked a few questions? I'm very curious, and I hate to be misinformed..."_

 _Bakura didn't really comment- he knew the walk back would be slower (seeing as he was carrying over 100 lbs of excess weight). It'd probably be less dull with some conversation._

" _Sure. Fire away."_

 _Ryou felt himself smiling slightly- as irritable as he could be, it seemed the fair-haired demon wasn't a total anti-social grouch._

The deciduous trees of the area were just starting to change. Summer was fading into fall, and a soft blanket of yellowish green leaves already lay across the forest floor.

As the two made their way through the thick woodland growth, Ryou decided to voice some of his questions. "So... how long do demons live, anyway? Are you really centuries old?"

Bakura snorted as he carried the injured human back towards his own home. "Pfth, hell no- I don't know where you humans got that idea, but you're all wrong- our bodies are just like yours." He smirked. "Except better in every way."

"Humility really isn't your strong suit, is it?" Ryou answered wryly.

The demon gave an arrogant grin; his white fangs dazzling in the midday sun. "I've never had any use for it."

Ryou stared at the brilliant smile. 'Wow, he has a very attractive smirk... wait, what?'

Bakura didn't notice the other's gaze. "The oldest demons can live to be around 100, but we usually only reach 70, maybe 80 years on average."

"That's interesting- we humans tend to live around 60, sometimes 70. Supposedly there's some who've made it to 90... I've never met anyone over 75, though."

The demon seemed genuinely surprised. "Wait, so you can live past 30?"

"What?" Ryou blinked a few times. "Thirty years? Yes, we usually live past that- unless there's an accident, or a plague..."

The small human's voice hitched, and he fell silent. A few moments later his non-human companion decided to speak up.

"What's a 'plague?'"

The slender human blinked. "Huh? You don't know what a 'plague' is?"

"Would I ask if I did?" The demon replied dully.

Ryou's face grew somber. "Well, a 'plague' is like a sickness... except it's very serious. Humans usually live close together, and a plague spreads from person to person very fast. It kills quickly, too." The thin human paused pensively. "Plagues are really dangerous, and they almost can't be stopped."

"Ah...so what _does_ stop a plague?"

"..." The boy turned his head into the demon's chest, surprising them both. His face was darkened by his overflowing bangs and the shadows of the demon's arms.

"...death." Ryou spoke in a dull voice.

"'Death'?" The other male was confused. "You said plagues were a sickness- how can a plague 'die?'"

Bakura frowned when he thought he felt the human's pallid form tremble against his.

"Not the plague... the people. When everyone's dead... when you're all alone and everyone else is dead... then it's over."

Bakura's voice took on an unusually soft tone. "So that's- what happened to you?"

"..." The tender youth nodded faintly into the crook of the demon's arm. There was a few minutes of awkward silence. Only the quiet sounds of the forest could be heard as both males silently reflected on this revelation.

"So..." Ryou finally spoke up, although his voice was a bit shaky. "...how do demon families work? Do you stay with someone until you're old enough to find your own land?"

Bakura was glad for the change of topic, and obliged.

"It's not so different from your culture- or so I've heard. Some demons mate for life, others do not. My mother was a very beautiful female, and she had many suitors." He paused to move aside a fallen log on their path. "Naturally, physical ability is highly valued by our kind. It is essential when surviving in the wild. Normally, most demons look for a mate that is at least of equal or greater strength than themselves."

"To help protect their lands?"

The pale fiend nodded. "We instinctively seek out those that will give us steady protection and strong heirs. Typically, a demon will fight their suitors to determine their worthiness as a mate. A way of testing their true strength, I suppose. But my mother was unusual in that she was quite strong- stronger than all of the males who came to court her. Though most of them were rejected, one male was particularly... stubborn." The white-haired demon snorted. "He wasn't entirely weak, but he could never best my mother's strength. So he decided to try a different method; and he took to human traditions for courting."

The human's eyes widened. "Wow, from fighting to flowers... was she put off by the cultural differences?"

Bakura wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Actually, she was charmed. She had said that he had 'another strength' that the other males didn't have." The storyteller shook his head in irritation. "I don't get it."

Ryou struggled not to laugh at the fiend's expression. But he felt his mirth fading as the storyteller's face grew grim.

"But there was another demon; one who was quite strong, who was furious that she rejected him. He was the only one who came close to matching her strength, and he was highly insulted when she chose my father as her mate. He saw it as an affront to his status; being passed over for an 'inferior' male."

Two hickory-tinted orbs widened at the foreboding words. "He became obsessed and continued to hound her, so they moved far away, setting up a new territory together. But one day he found their lands, and he began trailing her. By then my mother was expecting, and when he saw that she was carrying the child of another male, he lost it, and attacked her."

Ryou gasped in apprehension. The fiend took a moment before stoically continuing his narration.

"She was strong enough to wound him, but his rage took hold, and he began fighting dirty. He shoved her into a tree, and she stumbled over a root..."

The small human felt his heart twist in sympathy as the demon's voice started to waver.

"My father heard her cries, and saw what was happening. He managed to kill the other male, but my mother..."

"She passed on?"

The demonic storyteller shook his head.

"No. She survived, but she was horribly weak... and carrying an unborn child stole more and more of her strength each day." His cerise eyes glazed over. "It was too much for her, and she died soon after giving birth to me."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"How the bloody devil was all that your fault?" The white-haired fiend raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"No, no- it's a human expression." The boy patiently explained. "It means, 'I'm sad that you had to go through that, and you have my empathy.'"

"...ah." There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, in which the only sound was the crunching of leaves underneath Bakura's stride.

"So, you lived with your father, then?"

"My father raised me for several years, but then one day I found him lying in the woods..." Bakura's voice lowered slightly. "I still don't know what happened... he wasn't even injured... but he was dead."

Ryou thought of what that might have meant if he had been a human. "Perhaps something with his heart?"

"I've thought about it- he really wasn't the strongest male."

"So... how did you survive after that? Did someone take you in?"

The demon nodded, his expression lifting slightly. "My cousin, Akefia... he's a very powerful demon, with a giant plot of land far East of here. He caught news of what had happened and came here to help me survive."

His voice took on a trace of genuine pride, and Ryou smiled slightly at the reverent tone.

"He taught me a lot, and he was a great mentor. But eventually he had to go back- his lands would be taken over if he didn't return. But he helped me build this home, and claim this land."

The pale demon actually grinned as he nodded towards the beautiful forest.

Ryou felt the same grin growing on his own face.

Soon the trees began growing more sparse, and a familiar structure came into view.

"Well, home sweet home." Bakura commented as they reached the demon's dwelling. "I'm going to set you down now, alright?"

"Oh, yes; thank you." Ryou quickly prepared his 'walking stick' so he could stand on his own.

Daylight was slowly fading into dusk, and the woods was soon bathed in the orange glow of sunset. The two white-haired beings quietly made their way through the wooden door.

Ryou felt himself tense as he realized just how long they'd been gone. 'I hope Malik's alright...'

But Malik was still sleeping peacefully (though his snores had not lessened, much to Bakura's dismay) on the hand-made mattress.

The paler human let out a sigh of relief as he looked over his injured friend. 'Thank the heavens...' He carefully blotted away a bit more blood from the bandages before turning to the home's owner. _"My thanks again."_ He whispered his gratitude. _"Is it alright if he uses the bed for this night?"_

Bakura gave a quiet snort. _"I'm not moving him anywhere_ _now_ _\- you can take the lounge for yourself."_ He gestured towards a large, wooden chair padded with goose down between sewn patches of red-tinted fabric. _"I can sleep on the floor_ _tonight_ _._ _"_

The younger human blanched in surprise. _"_ _But- but it's your home!"_

" _Many demons sleep outside. We have far tougher bodies than you 'humans'."_

" _O-oh, alright. Thank you, Bakura."_

" _Tch."_ The over-politeness was unneeded, but the demon felt himself growing somewhat fond of the kindly tone. _"Whatever. G'night."_

Ryou smiled as he climbed into the over-large chair. _"G'night, Bakura."_

The demon laid down a few extra quilts on the rug before turning himself. He noticed that the white-haired human was already fast asleep. The bo's small eyelids fluttered briefly as he slipped into a deeper slumber.

'Tch... such pathetic little creatures.' The fiend paused for a moment. He noticed that the blue blanket that had been strewn across the lounge-chair was now lying over the injured human on the bed. Ryou had clearly given the covering to his comrade before falling asleep.

'Wretched fool- what does he think he's playing at, when there's already next-to-no meat on his own bones?' The fiend scowled before grabbing one of the quilts he'd laid on the rug. He carefully laid it over the sleeping youth. Ryou let out a faint murmur of approval as he burrowed into the warm coverlet.

"Mngh... tank you..."

Bakura felt his face warm slightly at those words- even half-conscious, the unusual little human seemed genuinely grateful for his actions.

'Tch... such odd little creatures...' The bewildered fiend went back to his own bedding and laid down. His face was still slightly flushed as he drifted into his dreams.


	6. Familiar Fungus

The next morning, a brilliant dawn broke over the woodland household. Bakura was the first to stir. The demonic land-owner managed to briefly scout half his territory before either of his guests awoke.

Ryou was the second to stir- he immediately ran to check on his (still-snoring) friend. He felt his heart sink as he looked over the vicious wounds that Malik had been given.

'How awful... no-one deserves such a horrid excuse for a father...' Ryou sighed and began quietly cleaning the wounds with a damp cloth. He then went on to change the sullied bandages with fresher dressings. Halfway through the process, the snoring stopped, and Malik awoke. The dark-toned human began drowsily conversing with his anxious comrade. He nearly rolled his eyes when he realized how overly-concerned his friend truly was.

" _Really_ , Ryou; I'm alright- it hurts a lot less now than it did yesterday."

Still unconvinced, the paler youth brought his friend a clay mug full of clear water. Malik was more than able to gulp down the contents... though he felt two hickory orbs watching him the entire time.

"Ryou, I'm fine. _Honestly._ " He scoffed at his skeptical caregiver. "Please, you know me\- would I ever _NOT_ complain about something bothering me?"

That statement elicited a soft chuckle, and Ryou had no choice but to admit that his long-time friend was right. Malik Ishtar was not one to suffer in silence- _ever_.

The two companions continued chatting until they heard the wooden door open. The demonic landlord stepped back inside, remarking that the woods seemed very quiet that morning. Bakura didn't bother mentioning that he had neither seen nor scented Malik's father- he knew his words would be clear enough.

Relieved, Ryou rose to his feet before volunteering to make breakfast for the homeowner and Malik. No sooner had he made this offer, than there was a rapid series of knocks at the door. Bakura reluctantly opened it, knowing who it was just by the bold noises.

Sure enough, Marik stepped inside without waiting for any further invitation. The blonde demon claimed to have been 'in the neighborhood,' and just wanted to 'check in' on the two humans. This, of course, was a rather dubious lie, as simply being Bakura's neighbor pretty much implied that Marik resided 'in the neighborhood.' But Ryou offered to cook up an extra helping before Bakura could properly protest. The slender human was still very grateful to both of the demons for their previous aid, and he knew Bakura was likely over-exaggerating how 'annoying' his closest kinfolk could be.

Pleased to accept the chef's offer, the muscular fiend sat down on the floor by the other blonde's bedside. The two sun-haired males began randomly conversing while Bakura fetched the victuals from his root cellar.

Breakfast consisted of several strips of fresh bacon, with a few pieces of bread to serve as toast. Ryou had just put them all on the stove top, when he realized they should have something to go with the pork. The human chef then asked the wild homeowner if there was any chance of getting eggs to go with the dish.

The white-haired fiend looked away and frowned. "I don't have any 'eggs' to cook."

Ryou was surprised by this statement- he'd definitely heard the clucking of several chickens milling about Marik's property yesterday, near the border. He'd assumed that the neighboring demon also kept some similar fowl on his own territory. "Oh... so, you do not keep any chickens of your own?"

" _'Keep'?_ " Bakura snorted and folded his arms in pretentious indifference. "You humans are so arrogant and greedy, thinking you can just enslave any creature you want, and then call it 'domesticated.'" He gave a haughty sniff before calmly declaring: " **No** , I don't _keep_ any animals."

Ryou turned to Marik, a quizzical look on his face. The darker demon smirked before (loudly) whispering: "He _used_ to have some, but the rooster kept attacking him to 'protect' the hens. So he got pissed off one day and cooked it, but then he didn't have any way of producing a new generation of chicks!"

" _No one asked_ _for_ _your_ _opinion!"_ Bakura swiftly berated the other fiend, but he gave up when he saw that both of the humans were laughing. "Ngh... whatever." He waved one hand in annoyance. "It is of little consequence. Demons usually hunt for their own food in the forest- we keep ample territories because were are apex predators. Mere eggs cannot sustain us- instead, we hunt down large animals on a regular basis." The landlord ended his speech with a ravenous grin. "We like our meat _fresh_... and _bloody_."

"Wait..." Ryou stared downwards at the small-but-clearly-functioning stove top that he was still using. "...if that's the case, then why do you prefer your meat to be cooked?"

Bakura blanched for a second, not sure how to respond. Unfortunately, Marik beat him to the punch again (not even bothering with the pretense of subtlety this time). "Well, Bakura's always had a _terribly_ sensitive stomach, and if he doesn't want to spend the next few days- _MPTH!_ " Marik was cut off when the other non-human suddenly covered his mouth with one clawed hand.

The homeowner glared at the muted demon, raising his other claws in a threatening manner. "You were _saying?"_

"Mgh-tpkhtmp." Marik mumbled something around the pale hand, but didn't protest.

"I thought I'd try my skills at cooking some meat one day, and I've grown to appreciate the finer art of culinary preparation." No longer seething, the landowner turned on his still-silent neighbor. "I've also found that my taste buds are far more... _refined_ than _some_ savage creatures." He smirked at the blonde fiend as he finally removed his hand.

"Har har." Marik replied flatly. "You might've forgotten, but **I** still remember that incident with the mushrooms. You were sick for a  week!"

Bakura's sharp ears twisted backwards, and he hissed: "YES, because you picked _**Death Cap**_ _mushrooms_ , **you nit-wit!** _How do you spend your entire life in a forest and not know the difference between 'deadly' and 'delicious?!'"_

The darker-skinned fiend frowned. "I thought every mushroom was edible!"  
Bakura smacked his own forehead with one hand in frustration. "Yes, but many of them can only be eaten _**once**_!"

Marik tilted his head in confusion, his blonde locks falling to one side. "Why only once?" The blonde demon's unusually naive expression made it clear that he wasn't joking.

The paler demon stared in stupefaction before turning to his busy guest. "Ryou, I'm sorry, but could you please raise the flames and then move aside? I have something _very large_ I need to put on the stove top."

"The bacon's almost done- you can kill Marik after it's cooked, alright?" The pale human replied nonchalantly, recognizing the threats as nothing more than idle bickering.

Meanwhile, Malik was explaining Bakura's words to a confused Marik. "See, some mushrooms are _incredibly_ poisonous- so if you eat them even _once_ , you'll die. Which means you can't eat them _twice_!"

"Oooh, I see." The blonde fiend seemed to be pondering this new logic. He nodded approvingly at the reclined patient. "You know, you're really clever; for a human."

Malik's face flushed, but before he could reply Ryou loudly announced that their meal was ready. The three uninjured males sat around the small, wooden table; while Malik was left to eat 'breakfast in bed' (using a rough wooden tray and a small side-table made from an old birch stump).

Ryou was again surprised to see just how quickly the two inhuman males were able to clean their plates. But he decided to take this as a compliment, and politely cleared the table once they were all through. Unsure of what to do, Ryou meekly restated his earlier offer. "So, um... is there anything else I can to help out? I can gather some firewood, or forage for more herbs if you'd like."

"That meal was _delicious_ \- hell, I'll bring you a dozen old oak trees for fuel if you continue to cook like that!" Marik promised while licking some toast crumbs off his lips.

Ryou gave a shy smile, his head slightly bowed as he mumbled a quiet "t-thank you."

But Bakura was less amused (his neighbor's gall was becoming most obnoxious- did he really think he was invited to every meal that his new pet cooked?!) and firmly stated, "these woods are more dangerous that you know- the small patches of land around your 'civilized' town have been systematically cleared and hunted for centuries. But these woods, our territories here; _t_ _hese_ are the true wilds, where strange creatures lurk and dangerous traps abound. Your cooking is indeed splendid, and I would rather not have to fish your hind end out of _another_ trap anytime in the near future."

This, of course, caught both Marik and Malik's attention, as neither had heard the whole story leading up to Ryou's run-in with the grouchier demon. The embarrassed teen had to relate the entire tale again to his (fairly amused) audience.

"Wait, you actually _said_ his name  out loud?!" Malik began outright guffawing when Ryou explained _why_ he'd been forced to flee into the demon's woods. "So, you're faced with a deadly outlaw, surrounded by his armed and ruthless men, and _you point blank state_ that you recognize his name and face?!" The bronzed youth chortled a bit before adding, " _dang_ , Ryou; you're lucky to be alive right now!"

Slightly irritated, Ryou resisted the urge to retort with, "and you're not?" Instead, he narrated past the whole 'Ushio' incident and explained how he'd ended up in Bakura's deep pit trap.

Both Marik and Malik winced at the mention of the fall. "Ouch- that must've hurt. How is your ankle?"

Ryou sighed as he slowly tugged down one sock, revealing a very colorful and swollen ankle. "The swelling's been going down, but it's still very tender."

Malik made some sympathetic noises as he looked over the injured ankle. Yet this time it was Marik who seemed to act a bit more serious. He looked over the afflicted limb with interest. "Hmm... that looks painful. You should visit the small stream that runs along the northern border of Bakura's territory." The homeowner scowled as the yet-again uninvited pest proffered his personal amenities without consent. If Marik saw the looks, however, he ignored them. The large demon only continued to advise the less-mangled human. "You should sit on a dry stump or rock on the shore, and place the unfettered ankle under the cooling waters. Leave it there for half a day, if you can. It should feel better after an hour or so, and it will help speed the healing process."

Bakura nearly facepalmed- he had a good idea who was going to end up 'accompanying' the little klutz to the aforementioned stream...

"Bakura should probably go with, since it's so ' _wild and dangerous_ ' out there." Marik unabashedly added. The dark-skinned demon had a faint smirk on his face, one which Bakura was quite eager to wash off.

Growling under his breath, the landowner quickly handed the make-shift crutch he'd found yesterday to Ryou. 'Hn... if that stream were but a little deeper, I could drown that blonde fool and make it look like an 'accident.' Oh well... wishful thinking aside, might as well get this over with.' "Fine." Bakura begrudgingly agreed aloud. He pointed to the bedridden youth and then Marik himself. "YOU can stay here and keep an eye on this fool. I may be gone for some time- I need to find some chestnut dapperling mushrooms, anyway."

Ryou had just started to hobble towards the front door when he heard Bakura's statement. The pale human tilted his head to one side as he shifted the wooden crutch. "Um, I'm sorry, but did you say 'Chestnut Dapperlings'? Aren't those mushrooms _extremely_ toxic? Why on Earth would you want to find some of those?"

Bakura gave a nasty smirk before pointedly glancing at Marik. "Oh, I can think of at least _one_ good use... after all, they're terribly easy to slip into a freeloader's meal... and it's been verified that _all mushrooms_ are edible _at least_ _once_ _,_ right? Well, take care you two! We're planning a mushroom soup for dinner!" Bakura then gave a sarcastic wave to the other fiend (who was now flipping him off) before slamming the door behind him with a devious cackle. Ryou held back a sigh as he reflected on how brashly the two demons could bicker.

'Perhaps it's best to not think on the quarrels of others too much... though I _do_ hope Bakura isn't truly expecting me to make mushroom soup tonight!'


	7. Current Concerns

"Here." Bakura gruffly handed the limping human the same crude 'walking stick' he'd handed him just the other day.

"Oh, thank you!" The grateful guest took the knotted branch and placed it under his arm. Ryou felt his twisted ankle twitch sorely as he hobbled forward. He was looking forward to trying out Marik's suggestion- the swollen joint may not be broken, but it was certainly painful!

Meanwhile, the demonic landowner was walking alongside the injured human, watching as Ryou awkwardly used the natural 'crutch' he'd been provided. Bakura let out a faint huff of annoyance. He knew humans were slow, but apparently even a minor injury was enough to turn them into snails! "Tch..." The landowner frowned as he watched the other's progress. "We may be headed right for the stream... but you're far too slow to make it on foot before nightfall. Hold on."

"Eh? Hold on to wha- _AGH!_ " Ryou cried out as he was suddenly thrown back over the other's shoulder. " _Wha_ \- warn me before you do that again, _please_!"

But the demon only chuckled before starting out across the rich wilderness that was his homestead. He headed down a small path. The trail was very faint, and only marked by bits of gravel and lined with bark-covered logs.

Once again, Ryou was awe-struck by the brilliant forest's natural beauty. The tall, leafy trees seemed to filter the sunlight into a gorgeous dapple of warm rays. Tiny, purple wildflowers sprouted here and there, dotting the ankle-high grasses and twigs.

'As an acting chef, I really should be keeping an eye out for wild herbs and vegetables...' The injured young guest reminded himself sternly. The quiet human was thrilled when he spotted several varieties of wild mushrooms sprouting from the crumbling remains of old trees. He recognized several of them, and knew which to cook (and which to NOT feed to Marik, or anyone else). Ryou also saw a patch of wild carrots and some turnips growing freely along the path, and he made a mental note of their locations.

"We're here."

Without further warning, the demon twisted his back and deftly placed the stunned human on the ground. Ryou felt incredibly lightheaded after the sudden change of direction. He drew in a deep breath as his senses righted themselves. He then gave his demonic escort a sharp look, but Bakura only snickered in amusement. This did little to appease the young human, who could do nothing more than silently fume.

'Evidently he thinks I'm a sack of potatoes!' But Ryou's ire was quickly quelled as he took notice of the beautiful creek only a few feet away.

"Oh my..." The stream burbled and bubbled cheerfully as the dappled sunlight glistened against the crystal clear bottom. Small, golden minnows darted about beneath the surface, while tiny teal-and-black dragonflies danced above the tall grasses lining the far shore.

"This is the best spot to rest- the grasses are parted in front of this stone-" the pale demon nodded towards a long, grey boulder next to the pair, "-and you should be able to rest your leg in the stream while seated."

"That sounds wonderful; thank you!" Ryou nodded gratefully, but the fiendish landowner only snorted.  
"Don't get used to this treatment- I only carried you out here so I don't have to cart your butt around any further. Now rest up and heal that ankle, or you'll be entirely useless." The brusk fiend stalked off without another word, leaving the human to his own devices.

'Ouch...' Ryou sighed as he watched Bakura leave. True, he had heard that demons were coarse creatures that often disliked humans. But to outright declare someone near _useless_...

'Not that I'm truly surprised... even other humans don't seem to like me very much...' Ryou felt a single tear running down his right cheek as he sat on the stone. He dipped the afflicted ankle into the ice-cold stream, shivering as he did so. He felt a chill pass over his heart as he thought back on his closest friend. 'Aside from Malik, who do I have? And now he's lying inside a demon's hut, bleeding and suffering with horrid wounds...'

Soon, Ryou felt the rush of emotions he'd been holding back surge forward. He began softly sobbing, unaware that his demonic guide had excellent hearing.

Bakura made his way back to the stone as soon as he heard the crying noises. He glanced at the walking stick, lying a few feet away from the boy's position. He frowning at the unattractive purplish-colored flesh now throbbing beneath the water's surface.

"Idiot!" Bakura hissed irately at his careless charge. "I _told you_ not to walk around on that ankle without the crutch- you're going to make yourself lame by this rate!"

"B-but I haven't moved-?" The sniffling human commented quizzically. "I-I'm still in the same spot as you left me, remember?"

"Oh, sure- then _why_ are you crying?" The demon snorted, his face full of skepticism.

"Well, I suppose I'm crying because... I'm afraid." The human youth admitted softly.

Misinterpreting the timid tone, Bakura growled and folded his arms in annoyance. " _Look_ , if I didn't eat you the previous day when I was rightly pissed off, I sure as hell don't plan on doing so _after_ I've already bandaged you and your mangled friend up!"

"Oh no, I'm not afraid of yourself... or anyone else, really." Ryou quietly corrected the demon. "No, I'm more concerned _for_ Malik... he's like a sibling to me, and I can't bear to lose another family member..."

"He seemed in fine spirits to me." Bakura snorted disdainfully. He really didn't need Marik hanging around his home more than usual, and he had a sneaking suspicion as to why the psychotic blonde fiend was-

"Yes, but remember when I said Malik had a... rough upbringing?" Ryou twiddled his thumbs as he awkwardly explained. "See, Malik doesn't always express his emotions and needs properly. Sometimes he'll make jokes when he's hurt, or laugh when he's really sad- it's an unusual coping mechanism, but I suspect that's how he was able to survive for so long. His father... well; he's not exactly a nice guy..."

The white-haired fiend rolled his eyes- _yes_ , he remembered what happened that blood-soaked afternoon...

"...and if Malik or his sister ever showed any 'weakness' by crying or asking for help..."

"Ah." Bakura cut Ryou off with a quick nod. He didn't need further elaboration; he could guess what sort of a monster that gutless wretch-of-a-man was the moment he'd first laid eyes on him. 'What a twisted individual...' "So your friend has learned to hide his pain."

"Yeah... so it's not exactly easy to tell if he's _genuinely_ getting better, or just acting." Ryou sighed as he wiped his tear-stained face with one arm. "I suppose he's not grievously injured, or else his breathing and temperature would likely be affected... but I'd still like to make certain that he won't succumb to something later on..."

'After dragging his exsanguinated *ss back to my cottage, he'd better not.' Bakura darkly noted to himself. "Then, what are your options? You humans keep... healers, right?" The demon's face scrunched up at the unfamiliar concept. "Or whatever the heck you call your medical practitioners?"  
Ryou felt a smile threaten to spread across his face at the fiend's word-based struggle. "I think you're referring to our medical 'doctors'... and yes, we do have one in town, but that would require both a human messenger and money."  
The ever-annoyed fiend huffed and gestured blithely Eastward with one clawed hand. "If it will get that idiot off my property faster, I'll escort you to your own home so you may fetch the coins necessary to request and pay for a physician's services."

"Truly?! Oh, thank you!" Ryou's shoulders lowered as he let out a deep breath. "Yes, that should be fine- but then I'd have to find someone who can go and arrange the actual appointment..."

"Is there no-one in town you can trust?" Bakura bluntly demanded.  
"Uh... I think there's one girl about our age- she's very nice, but we're hardly close friends... still... I think she would be alright with helping me. I just don't, um, know how she'd feel if she saw, erm..." The boy trailed off while glancing at his demonic companion. Bakura just snorted knowingly.

"I can stay hidden while you handle your affairs- just do not test my patience with idle chatter."

Ryou nodded, feeling a bit of hope growing in his chest. "Thank you." He struggled to his feet, eager to move on.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Bakura snapped as the young human tried to hobble towards the walking stick. "You should still be soaking that ankle!"

"I cannot lay idly by while my friend is suffering- I can find a stream at any time, but Malik may not have time to spare." Ryou declared as he grabbed the wooden crutch.

The small teen's fervor surprised the demon, and he hid his admiration behind more questions. "Can you even make it to the town in your condition?"

The pale hominid suddenly glanced shyly sideways, his confidence dipping. "Erm, well; I was hoping that perhaps you'd, um... oblige me with your strength?"

Bakura raised one eyebrow, but only grinned as he added, "Hmm... but it's far more fun when you're not expecting it, you know."

Ryou almost sounded cross as he challenged the fiend. "And just what do you mean, 'it's far more fun when I'm not expect- _WAAGH!_ " Ryou yelped as he was swiftly returned to his previous position- draped over his demonic companion's shoulder like a rag.

"Like that." Bakura chuckled as he carried the exasperated teen down towards the human town. Ryou only let out a soft sigh as he relaxed against the stronger being's muscles. 'At least this will save us some time...'

Meanwhile, the fiendish brute was reflecting on the day's adventures with a grin.

'I do believe I'm beginning to enjoy this timid whelp's company...'


	8. Heartfelt Healing

Bakura held back, sticking to the edge of the forest while Ryou limped into town. It was around supper time when the pale pair reached the boundaries of the town of Netana. Ryou gave a sigh of relief as he realized the fortunate timing. The evening hour meant that most of the town's folks would be busy inside their homes, wining and dining. Which greatly lessened the chances of some hapless firewood-gatherer running into the bored demon now waiting just beyond the treeline...

'Yes... it's even a law- 'All wild firewood must be gathered before sundown, by town decree... to lessen the chances of running into the dangers in the woods'.' Ryou frowned as he realized part of what that old rule left unsaid. 'I suppose the lawmakers mainly meant bandits and bears... but it could also have been hinting at demonfolk.'

Demons weren't exactly welcomed by most humans... yet for some reason, Ryou himself felt strangely apprehensive as he approached the stone structures of his old home. His make-shift 'crutch' clacked loudly against the town's aging cobblestones. The uneven sounds echoed off the surrounding buildings, adding to Ryou's discomfort.

'It's odd how I've only been gone a few days... yet this already feels foreign, somehow.' The quiet youth glanced around the modest municipality in confusion. 'Although I suppose I've never been terribly close to the other townspeople... aside from Malik, and possibly-'

"What- Ryou?!" A lone voice suddenly called out from behind the injured teen. "Is that you? I heard you were missing- are you alright?!" A wide-eyed brunette girl was walking towards him, carrying a basket filled with an assortment of freshly baked goods. "What happened?!"

"Anzu!" Ryou thanked his lucky stars that his only other friend often ran errands for her father's bakery. "I'm alright, but Malik was badly hurt- can you fetch Dr. Tosenku? It's a long story, but Malik's lost a lot of blood, and he can't be moved."

"Of course!" The tall girl nodded determinedly before rushing off to find the town's main physician.

The exhausted boy slumped against a nearby lamp-post and sighed. He knew Anzu wouldn't be put-off by the mention of demons, but he wasn't sure about Dr. Tosenku...

"Over here, sir!" Eventually, the same female voice drifted back into earshot. Ryou sat up to see an exited Anzu leading an older man towards the lamp-post. The white handle-bar mustache and wire-rimmed glasses both stood out as belonging to Dr. Tosenku, the town's eldest physician.

"Goodness, young lass; but you _are_ in a hurry! Furthermore, your friend doesn't seem nearly as injured as you said-!"

Ryou gave a hasty bow of greeting before adding, "Good evening, doctor; but it's not me! Malik Ishtar was attacked a few days ago by a man with a knife, and he's lost a lot of blood- could you please check on him?"

The older man nodded. "Of course- but where is he?"

The youth glanced downwards in a shy admission of guilt. "Erm, well, he's kindof back in the woods... we were taken in by a generous demon after the attack."

The doctor raised one grey eyebrow in surprise, but didn't flinch. "Say no more. It is my sworn duty to tend to my patients- wherever they are. Just... lead the way, then."

"Yes sir!" He turned and gave a grateful 'farewell' hug to the brown-haired girl. "Thank you for your aid, Anzu! I pray we'll meet again!"  
"Be careful, Ryou!" She called out anxiously as the two white-haired males headed towards the forest path.

As the two humans shuffled past the wooden fence bordering the town square, Ryou realized it might be better to warn the aging doctor about his inhuman 'guide.' They were already half-way to the woods before the youth found his voice.

"Erm, Doctor Tosenku? I should probably warn you, the homeowner offered to escort me to and from town, since the woods are a bit tricky..." Ryou glanced meaningfully at his natural 'crutch' before adding, "he may seem a bit, um, _gruff_ in nature; but means no harm."

"Fair enough. Sounds a bit like myself." The doctor thoughtfully replied. "I take it that's him?" The unfazed villager easily pointed towards the lean figure leaning against an old oak tree. The pale creature was watching them intensely, his eyes gaining an eerie glow under the shadow of the forest.

"Yes, that's him." The injured human gasped as he tried not to trip over the many stones dotting the overgrown field. "Bakura! I found the doctor- this is Dr. Tosenku. He treated me when I was small."

The distrustful fiend only gave the elder man a brief glance before turning towards the woods. "Fine. This way."

The hike back to Bakura's home was even longer, as neither the older man nor the wounded teen could travel very fast. By the time they'd reached the modest house, Ryou was struggling to control his breath, and even the doctor seemed winded.

"Goodness! But you do value your privacy." Dr. Tosenku commented casually as they came upon the small, natural house. "A lovely little hideaway."

"Built it myself." Bakura flatly replied. Ryou could sense that the demon was eager to get the whole 'visit' over with. 'I just hope Malik's in an accommodating mood...'

But Malik seemed rather thrilled by the sight of one of the villagers- apparently he was very eager for word of his sister.

"Your sister? Ah, yes; there's been some rumors running about town..." Dr. Tosenku closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. "As far as I can tell, your sister was seen leaving town on a horse-drawn cart with another man... Naturally, this raised questions amongst the village gossips, as most of the townsfolk knew how strict your father was regarding her... care." Malik didn't comment, but continued listening with the intensity of a starving hawk. "Suspecting something had changed, several men later banded together and marched to your house. They discovered that the front door was open, and found the... destruction that was left behind."

Malik's face seemed to pale a bit, but he only nodded once in understanding. Bakura glanced at Ryou, but the boy gave nothing away as he watched the exchange.

"When the townsfolk saw the massive pools of blood, and only one set of large footprints leading away from the scene, they assumed that you had died while covering your sister's escape. Your father was found not far from the estate, and was immediately thrown into prison for your murder. They also discovered... other evidence of his wrongdoings hidden in the root-cellar." Malik gave an involuntary shudder at the memories resurfacing, but didn't elaborate. The doctor shook his head grimly before continuing. "Needless to say, I doubt he will ever see daylight again."

"Your sister is safe- isn't that great, Malik?" Ryou quietly reiterated, hoping to encourage his friend.

But Malik stayed more or less silent as he took in all of this information. "Is- is she truly alright?"

"Your elder sister? The posted guards at the town gates said she appeared to be sleeping, but I suspect she was actually drugged... but the man escorting her seemed kind and capable. I should think she is fine now, yes." The doctor gave a firm nod. "It's possible that she'll try and send word somehow- I'll inform the post master that any mail addressed to your household specifically should be held on the side. He won't deliver to the wilds out here, but if you can manage to swing by my medical office once a month or so; I'll make sure you'll get ahold of anything received."

The man winked kindly at the still-reclined patient.

Malik let out a sigh of relief as his shoulders finally relaxed. "That would be wonderful- thank you, doctor."

"Not at all. Your friend already settled up your payment for this visit, and I'll come back anytime you need- just send word." The older man waved at the dark-skinned human before heading for the door. Ryou gratefully opened it for the man with a half-bow. "Of course. Thank you, Doctor Tosenku." As soon as the medical professional was gone, the pale teen turned to his landlord with a smile and another bow. "And Bakura... thank you for your kindness. I took note of several herbs and wild vegetables on our trip to the stream and back- I would be very glad to prepare a meal for you anytime you ask."

The fiend blinked before nodding. He didn't understand why the slender human insisted on constantly re-iterating the obvious... but it wasn't unwelcomed. 'Strange little creature...' The fiend soon left to grab more firewood for the stove, leaving Ryou alone with the remaining human.

"Malik? Are you alright?" The hickory-eyed youth knelt down next to his injured comrade's bed. He only received a hiccup in reply. Silent tears were falling down the still-bruised face, barely visible beneath his lowered golden bangs.

It wasn't surprising- Ryou knew that Malik had endured years of unspeakable torment at the hands of his 'father.' Naturally, it would take time for those wounds to heal, but the knowledge that Malik's beloved big sister was safe would help. In the meantime, the sympathetic companion could only offer a clean handkerchief and a long hug to his distraught friend. They shared a warm embrace as mixed thoughts of the past flooded their mind. Soon they were each crying again, their tears filled with both joy and sorrow.


	9. Far-reaching Physician

_(A/N:_ _A much s_ _horter chapter this time; but no worries- I'm not giving up on this story!)_

The two human youths continued their comforting embrace, while their demonic host watched in awkward silence. But the entire trio jumped as there was a sudden knocking at the wooden door. Without further preface, Dr. Tosenku suddenly stuck his mustached head through the opening and chuckled. "I suppose I must be getting quite scatter-brained in my old age- I didn't even think to check your injury, Ryou!"

The distracted boy momentarily went blank as he watched the human physician re-enter the forest home. "My injury?"

The older man nodded as he pointed towards the teen's feet. "I saw you walk to-and-from town with a make-shift crutch- which suggests you hurt yourself rather recently?"

Ryou wiped the moisture from his own face as he let go of his tearful companion. "Oh, yes- I fell a few days ago and sprained my ankle."

"Let me see, then-" Dr. Tosenku slowly knelt on the floor of the modest cabin, while Ryou extended his swollen ankle towards him.

"Ah, that looks quite painful- I would try to avoid walking and standing as much as possible."

"Earlier we found a small stream and placed it beneath the cool waters for a while." Ryou explained while Malik nodded in agreement.

"Good, good. That's exactly what I would recommend." "You've had quite a few adventures lately, haven't you?"

Ryou let out a sigh, his shoulders slightly deflating as he reflected on that statement. "That's putting it mildly, I suppose- but yes; it's been an interesting time."

The kindly doctor had a knowing glint in his eyes as he spoke. "Yet I get the feeling that you'll soon be comfortable enough- 'do not lose sight of the future sunrise by staring into the night'."

Ryou and Malik recognized the common expression, and nodded. Bakura, meanwhile, was still quite displeased. It was annoying enough that the old man had come back, but now he was refusing to leave!

The slender fiend stood by the door, pointedly opening the greenish-hued barrier for the elder man.

Surprisingly, instead of taking his leave (again), the physician began staring at Bakura's long claws. "Hmmm..."

Irritated by the impromptu inspection, the pale demon quickly folded his arms to hide his digits. "What?!"

"Well, my field of study may only apply to humans; however, I still couldn't help but notice the white lines growing on your nails. It seems to me like you're suffering from a mild case of vitamin deficiency- are you eating enough fruits and vegetables?"

Bakura's expression dropped into a stunned stare before he sharply retorted: "We demons normally eat _far_ more meat than you omnivorous apes."

"Fair enough- I suppose scurvy isn't a concern for you, then." As he packed up his bag and made to make his second exit, Dr. Tosenku added casually- "though personally, _I_ would be worried."

Bakura felt taken aback by the bothersome codger's nerve- how dare this mad quack criticize his lifestyle?! "We demonfolk are far hardier than your own kind- perhaps you should stick to addressing your human patients."

The aging man let out a faint chuckle as he went towards the door. "Perhaps. Consider it a bit of complimentary advice in exchange for helping two of those patients." Dr. Tosenku nodded 'farewell' to all three males once more before slipping back into the night. "Fare thee well!"

Malik and Ryou shared their own well-wishes as the senior villager disappeared.

"G'bye!"

"Safe travels, doctor!"

Bakura let out a snort of annoyance. He wasn't keen on changing his diet, and he didn't trust the pompous old coot. 'Humans- they somehow think if one is foolish enough to throw away all their fortune on a piece of paper saying 'licensed physician', it somehow makes them cleverer than everyone else!'


	10. Turbulent Tryst

Several days passed by, with both of the injured humans healing at a moderate pace. Daily trips to the stream led to a measurable reduction in the pain and swelling of Ryou's ankle. The pleasant excursions were much appreciated; not only for their curative aspects, but the social as well. Ryou enjoyed learning more about demon culture, and Bakura was surprisingly curious about human-kind. The two always managed to hold some form of conversation on the way back-and-forth; and their time away from the house gave Malik a chance to rest undisturbed.

Soon Ryou was able to walk about on his own, and was permitted to wander about Bakura's property at will. This was especially helpful, as he could now forage for more spices and herbs to add to his cooking. Though it did come with a few stipulations... _'Do not cross the boundary markers, for any reason.' Bakura firmly warned. 'These are the wilds, where demons roam and human laws do not apply. If you run onto another demon's land, even by mistake, he may kill you for your trespass. We are a territorial species, after all, and have little love for your kind.'_

'Speaking of other demons, I wonder if Marik will be staying for supper again...' The brawnier demon had dropped by nearly every night since the four of them had met. It was clear that the blonde fiend rather keen on the ailing Malik, though Ryou wasn't sure if his friend held the same sentiments. 'True, Malik's been doing a bit better now, but I can't tell if he enjoys Marik's visits because he's bored, or-"

Ryou felt his heart drop when he heard a burst of shouting to his left. Someone in Bakura's hutch was yelling at the top of their lungs, and they sounded pretty upset.

" _Oh no-!"_ The pale human quickly grabbed his findings and rushed back towards the demon's humble abode. 'Was that Bakura?! But what could have happened- could Malik have gotten worse?! But why did he sound so furious?' Trying not to re-injure his ankle, Ryou managed an awkward run-hop back to the familiar green door. He flung the wooden barrier open, only to find the last thing he expected.

"Wha-?" Ryou saw no smoke, no unexpected travelers, no broken furniture, nor any other signs of destruction. He blinked his chocolate eyes in confusion. A pale figure was standing just inside the door-frame, and Ryou turned towards him. "Bakura? What's going on?"

Shaking with fury, the demonic homeowner only pointed one accusatory finger towards his semi-enclosed bedchambers. The reason for the yelling was instantly clear- the two blondes were both laying under the covers of Bakura's bed. Various articles of clothing were strewn haphazardly about the room, and the expressions on their faces didn't exactly scream innocence.

Ryou stepped inside, his movements strangely stiff. "MALIK."

The golden-haired human winced as the paler human seemed to swell. Two hickory-brown orbs were currently boring holes into the other human youth.

Malik seemed to physically shrink while his eyes widened with unease. "Eh-heh... erm, hi, Ryou- did you, er, find any herbs?"

Neither demon understood the blonde's trepidation, until they heard something nearly blowing up beneath the door-frame. Ryou positively _exploded_ , yelling in a more deafening voice than any demon or human could imagine coming from such a meager frame.

" **WHAT THE** _ **HELL**_ **WERE YOU THINKING?!** " Ryou threw his arm out and pointed accusingly at Marik. " _YOU WERE TRYING TO HAVE_ _ **SEX** __WITH HIM_?! _HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND_ _?!_ "

"AND **_YOU_!** " The demonic Marik actually flinched as the slender human glared in his direction. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! I'M GUESSING YOU ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED THIS, _RIGHT_ _?!_ "

Marik seemed to get over his shock just long enough to form a reply. He frowned and mulishly declared: "I don't care if he's a human, and he doesn't care that I'm a demon!"

Ryou only scowled in annoyance. **"I** **have nothing against** _ **that!**_ **"** He pointed to his old friend. "For f***'s sake, Malik; you just had your stomach cut open less than a month ago! _What if your wound_ _s_ _re-opened?!_ "

Marik look somewhat insulted by the insinuation. "It's been more than a month, and I wasn't going to hurt him."

"Humans don't heal as fast as demons!" Ryou snapped back. "You could have _killed_ him!" The white-haired human looked like he wanted to say something further, but he ended up shaking his head and storming back to the kitchen.

"..." There was a moment of silence as the other three males overcame their shock at the outburst.

" _I didn't even know he could_ _curse!"_ Marik whispered to his still-flushed bed-mate.

"You'd be surprised..." Malik admitted dryly as he began glancing around the room for his trousers.

Meanwhile, Ryou had gone into the kitchen to prepare the wild herbs and vegetables he'd gathered. Bakura walked in a moment later, watching as the still-livid human began working with the cutting board.

The thin chef was now grumbling under his breath. He was cutting the wild carrots with an unusual ferocity, and he kept stabbing right through them into the wooden plank beneath.

"Not sure the cutting board deserves that." Bakura remarked casually.

"Sorry..." Ryou sighed and let go of the blade, his wrath slowly dissipating. "It's just... I can't believe he'd be so stupid as to try-" the human's face grew slightly red, "- _that_ \- right after nearly dying. I'm just guessing about having a... demon for a romantic partner, but I take it a lot of strain would be put on his wounds?"

There was no trace of amusement on Bakura's face as he firmly replied: "from what I understand, yes; it's just as strenuous."

Ryou put down the knife with a defeated groan. "He never thinks... I couldn't stand it if he nearly died again. He's pretty much the only family I have left."

"You're not alone, you know." The demon's light skin turned a slightly redder shade. "You can- erm, you're allowed to stay here as long as you want."

"Really?" Ryou felt a little embarrassed when he realized just how fast he'd answered. "Um, thank you- that's very generous. But I wouldn't feel right just staying here without repaying you somehow."

"Well, you cook very well, and I've seen your talents in keeping up a tidy home. Perhaps you could work as a live-in chef and cleaner, of sorts?"

Ryou's eyes lit up and he nodded, a smile finally returning to his face. "That could be a very nice arrangement."

Bakura felt a grin of his own appearing as he nodded. "If you like- if anything should change, just let me know. You are no prisoner, here. In fact..." here the demonic landlord glanced at his sleeping chambers, "you can use the bed (as soon as your crazy friend is gone)- I can sleep on the rug until I get another one."

"Eh?!" Ryou felt stunned by this generous "But- but it's your home!"

But the red-eyed demon only snorted. "Like I've said before, many demons sleep outside. We have far tougher bodies than you 'humans'." Bakura glanced pointedly at the now-dressed pair standing awkwardly his dining area. "Besides- it's not like I'm sleeping on those sheets _EVER AGAIN._ "

Ryou let out a shudder of realization. 'Seems like I'll be making another trip to the stream again, albeit not for my ankle- I do hope that home-made soap by the sink is strong enough for the task!"


	11. Relayed Revelation

Bakura had all but threatened to throw Malik out on his rear after the whole 'bedroom' incident. Marik tried to defend their actions, but with little success. Every time he opened his mouth, it only seemed to enrage the other fiend further (not surprising, given their usual interactions). Malik eventually had to promise to wash the bedsheets in the stream the next day just to appease the homeowner. But Bakura was still rather cross; unappeased by the small promise. He ended up chasing Marik outside; after which he handed the remaining blonde a bucket of soapy water and a mop.

"If you're well enough to fool around, you're well enough to clean around. _Get to it_."

So Malik was left to slowly clean the cottage floor; while Bakura stormed out, muttering something about 'getting some air.'

Ryou remained thoughtfully quiet as he continued putting together a hearty stew for that night's meal.

The white-haired youth heard his companion gave a rather forlorn sigh. Malik always had a strong disliking of silence, mainly owing to his father's abusive 'isolation punishment' tactics. Taking pity on his (still-recovering) friend, Ryou slowly initiated a new conversation. "So... you and Marik?"

The mop's movements paused, and the dark skin of the wielder's face seemed to tint with a coral flush. "Yeah... we've been talking pretty much every day since we got here, and; well..."

Ryou felt himself genuinely struggling to _not_ to point out the absurdity of Malik's 'romantic' ideas. "I had no idea demons were so like ourselves..."

The lavender-eyed teen gave another sigh. "Marik's got a weird sense of humor, and he eats some strange things. But otherwise? I'd say we could be brothers."

"...you found a guy... who reminds you of a close relative... so you decided to sleep with him."

The bandaged youth seemed to puff up with indignation. _"_ _Well, when you put it like_ _ **that**_ _!"_

Ryou nearly groaned as he tried to understand the other's logic. "How _else_ would you put it?!"

"Fate, karma, kismet-"

"-incest, interbreeding, a distressingly severe form of narcissism..."

"Oh, go and kiss a summer gopher!"  
"At least it won't look like my own sibling!"

The two soon began a rather playful 'fight' in which Malik used the mop's dripping tendrils to fling drips of water at his friend. Ryou retaliated by throwing the tiny bits of garbage left by his chopping (stems and potato eyes and whatnot). It was almost a relief, given all the drama and pain they'd been through the past few weeks; to simply act like carefree friends again. The pair had just about called a truce when Bakura walked back in.

"..." The demonic landlord stared blankly at the now-damp chef and the garbage-adorned house-cleaner. "I asked you to clean my house, and now it looks even worse. I'd say I'm dismayed, but in order for that to be true I'd have to be _surprised_." He opened his mouth to say more, but was shocked when a rather large bit of potato skin landed right on his forehead.

Malik looked uneasy after Ryou's bold move, but the paler human only grinned and cheekily asked, "Well? Are you surprised _now_?"

The demon looked stunned, before his eyes narrowed dangerously. His tone sounded most unforgiving. "I suppose you find this amusing?" There was a growl beneath the last word in the phrase, and Malik felt his anxiety growing. But then Ryou let out a soft giggle, confusing both of the taller males.

"I'd say it's a good start!"

"Hm." The fiend pointedly grabbed the tuber peel and tossed it in the wooden garbage barrel. His mouth was tightly drawn, as though he was just barely suppressing his fury. "Oh dear..." The demon turned his red gaze on Malik's mop, his voice oddly simpering. "Your friend must still be far more injured than I thought- he seems to have missed a very large spot."

Malik glanced around, unsure of what the demon was referring to- he thought he'd done a fair job!

But the homeowner shook his head before grinning widely. "No matter- allow me to rectify his error."

Bakura then easily picked up the bucket of soapy water and ran towards the now-laughing Ryou. He let out another growl as he (leisurely) chased after the gleeful youth. He intentionally kept his pace at a mere 'jaunt', rather than outright sprinting. He knew Ryou's ankle was still healing, and he had no desire to injure his 'prey.' But slowing the chase also gave them less chance of tiring, and the pair kept up their 'cat-and-mouse' like game for quite a while. Soon even Bakura was snorting in amusement as the white-haired duo ran around and around the small cottage. Random calls of harmless threats and vague taunts drifted in through the small windows of home, reaching Malik's ears.

The other human watched the pair's antics, his eyes rolling upwards in disbelief. 'Oh sure, and _I'm_ the one who's acting immature here?!"

Ryou hadn't laughed so hard in ages, and he nearly had to stop twice just to catch his breath. Even Bakura had abandoned the now-empty bucket in favor of keeping some of his composure. 'This one never ceases to amaze me...'

But the demon's mood instantly soured when he saw someone running towards them- someone who he'd hoped not to see for a long time. Bakura stopped dead in his tracks and glared into the distance, surprising his 'prey.'

"Hm?" Ryou noticed the other's pause, and he stopped moving as well. "Bakura, what-"

"Someone's coming. It looks like Marik." His voice turned more sharp as he hissed to himself. "Tch- even after I promised to disembowel him for his indecent acts... I swear, that fool would sooner run into a wildfire than listen to my commands!"

"Wait- something's wrong." Ryou could finally see the distant figure that the other's demonic eyes had already spotted. "He's running strangely- as though he's nearly stumbling."

"Yes, well; forgive me if I lack any quantifiable empathy for the b*stard who tried to impulsively _fornicate_ with _another species_ on **my** bed-" But Ryou noticed that even as the lighter fiend tried to sound furious, his sharp eyes never left the other demon's struggles. "That fool probably got drunk off his *ss and now he's coming back for a second attempt at-"

"Ryou!"

Bakura blinked in disbelief. "Well, at least his taste is improving..."

"Ryou!-Malik-must-know!" The bronzed demon was covered in a full sheen of perspiration, and he was panting as though he'd been running for miles. He bent over, huffing loudly as he continued shouting random phrases. "I- met-him-ran-back-tell-Malik-safe-home!" He managed to gasp out in one long, breathless cry. "Safe-prison-gone!" The winded demon let out a soft groan as he suddenly slumped against a nearby oak tree.

"Marik?!" Malik ran out from inside the hut, having caught some of the blonde fiend's long-winded utterances. "What happened?! Are you alright?"

The exhausted demon nodded but didn't speak. He began coughing wildly, and Ryou wisely fetched him a clay mug full of fresh water.

"-hnks." Marik's voice was raspy as he barked out a brief word of gratitude. He quickly downed the contents, prompting Ryou to go and refill the cup for him. "I'm fine, Malik- but I just heard some news that you need to hear."

"News?" Both of the humans glanced quizzically at each other. Demons weren't known to pay attention to any matters involving humans.

But the larger blonde nodded again, finally able to speak at a slower pace. "I was wandering near the border of the human town, thinking of ways to get back at Bakura for being an over-reacting jerk-wad ( _"Hey!"_ ) when I saw that old man you told me about."

"You mean the doctor? Dr. Tosenku?"

"Yeah, and he wanted me to share a message with Malik!"

Ryou tilted his head in confusion. "About his wounds?"

"No, about his father!"

Malik seemed to freeze upon hearing that last word. "My _father?_ " The boy gave an involuntary shudder as dark memories threatened to flood his mind. "But... wasn't he thrown in prison?"

"Yes, apparently the human poleash thought he murdered you after... well..."

"He tried to murder you." Bakura added bluntly, earning himself a stern warning look from Ryou.

"So he was thrown in jail, and evidently he got really mad at another inmate, and..." Marik trailed off awkwardly.

"He's dead." Bakura declared, but this time Ryou seemed to agree with his blunt statement.

"Serves him right." The pale human muttered to himself. 'Seems he finally picked on someone his own size.'

"..." Malik's violet orbs widened in disbelief. "I'm not sorry he's dead, but I just never expected... I thought..." His voice trailed off as his shoulders began shaking.

Ryou wrapped one arm around his now-shivering friend. "You've spent your entire life fighting to survive that abusive tyrant's madness. It's not hard to imagine how earth-shattering this must be for you."

A single tear slipped down Malik's face, but his mouth also lifted into a tentative smile. "Freedom. I- I finally have freedom." His head was reeling, and whether it was shock or joy that made him faint, he didn't know. All he knew was he fell into a pair of warm, strong hands; and a deep voice murmured, "no one will ever harm you again. I swear."


	12. Breaking Bread

Clearly exhausted by the day's events, Malik's unconsciousness soon faded into a deep slumber that seemed likely to last through the night. Naturally, both of the demons were rather curious after Marik had relayed the doctor's urgent message. So Ryou quietly filled them in after they'd gathered in the modest kitchen (Malik's snores would've soon overpowered the discussion, anyway). A fresh pot of stew simmered lightly in the background as they settled in a semi-circle on three crude, wooden stools. The two demons listened with unusual intensity as Ryou tried to explain everything without raising his voice.

"That's not right..." Marik frowned, a harsh scowl threatening to spread across his face. His violet eyes were nearly glowing, and the hair across his nape seemed to stand on end. " _ **No one**_ should treat their offspring like that, human or demon!"

Bakura didn't seem quite as furious, but he was no less disgusted by the details of the monstrous abuse Malik had suffered. "Agreed- I doubt any mourners will even attend that scum's funeral." He gave a swift glance towards the still-sleeping victim. "Hm... upon reflection, perhaps your friend's antics aren't as offensive as I thought... he is a still a fool, of course- (Marik let out a warning growl) -but to endure that level of pain and torment? It's miraculous that he is even able to speak any sense at all."

Ryou nodded. "His elder sister taught him most of what he knows- she was secretly educated by their mother, before she passed..." He glanced out the smoothly carved window, where the sun was just beginning to set. Ryou trusted Bakura and Marik, but he was still unsure of how much he should say. "I suppose he'll try and re-join her, now that there's nothing left to fear..."

The blonde fiend seemed to tense at the mention of Malik leaving, but Bakura only rolled his eyes. Evidently he felt the dark-toned human's departure couldn't come soon enough. "And just how long will _that_ take?"

The white-haired human looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, assuming the information that Malik's sister gave him was accurate, he knows where he can go to contact her... so he can leave whenever he likes, really."

Two purple orbs seemed to freeze, their gaze both intense and unseeing at the same time. Marik had no idea why those words seemed to strike him so strongly- almost as though he'd been hit by a physical blow- but it hurt. Something deep within his abdomen was crumbling apart, and those six words seemed to echo through the empty void left in its wake.

'He can leave whenever he likes.'

Slowly, as though his mind was wrapped in fog, Marik stood up and began heading for the outside door. He mumbled something to the others about 'heading back' but didn't elaborate. Ryou watched the unusually subdued demon with some concern. His landlord, however, didn't seem to have the same misgivings.

"What, you're not going to try and leech yet another meal from my stores?" Bakura called exasperatedly after his neighbor. But the taller fiend gave no sign of having even heard the other fiend as he opened the green door and wordlessly stepped out into the woods.

The slenderer of the pale duo was intrigued by the sudden switch in the brawnier blonde's disposition. "Night will fall soon- maybe he wanted to get home before it grew too dark?"

"Tch- that's not it- we can see in the dark quite well, remember? No, he's just an idiot, plain and simple. He got too close to your friend, and now he's realizing the truth."

"That truth being-?"

"Humans and demons don't mix." Bakura gave a long sigh as he intertwined his fingers behind his head. "It's like trying to get oil and water to blend- it just never works out. Demons are very nonsocial, and we have vastly different values and norms dictating our lives."

"..." Ryou chose his next words carefully, not sure if his landlord was speaking casually or definitively. "Well, not all humans crave a life in a giant metropolis, you know. We're not _all_ drawn to loud, crowded tenements. Some of us like peace and quiet."

"Maybe an incredibly small number do, yes." Bakura glanced sideways at the boy he'd taken in. "But such exceptions like yourself are quite rare. You have the intellect of a higher being, and that makes you most unusual for a man-folk. You're also not arrogant, nor pompously brash. All qualities that are exceedingly uncommon amongst your kind."

The surprised flush that jumped to the youth's cheeks was adorable. "Oh! Um, t-thank you!"

But the gratitude seemed to confused the fiend. "Tch, it's not like I did you a favor- why on Earth are you thanking me?"

"It's just a polite response, I suppose." Ryou frowned as his thoughts drifted back towards his old friend, snoring away in the next room. "Malik's rather socially awkward, but I think that's mostly because he wasn't brought up, er, normally? He's a little impetuous, but not dumb."

"I may have given him too little credit before. He did manage to survive wounds that I thought would surely do in one of your kind."

"Thank you. Again, for saving us. I mean it." Two hickory-toned eyes gazed with fresh sincerity into two crimson-red ones. "He would not be here if it were not for your aid."

"...if anyone had told me a few months ago that I would have two humans staying in my abode..."

Ryou let out a faint laugh, recognizing the dry tone as being part of his landlord's signature wit. "Two _injured_ humans, at that!"

The pair started laughing together, when a bubbling noise suddenly interrupted them. Bakura glanced towards the stove, where his largest iron pot was threatening to toss off its lid.

"Oh, the stew!" Ryou gasped as he jumped up to save the meal from boiling into something inedible.

Thankfully, the mixture hadn't burned, and Ryou and the homeowner were able to share a relaxing meal at the small kitchen table. Despite the tempting smells, Malik didn't stir at all. He slept well through the night, and past the breaking light of the next dawn. Ryou was just starting breakfast when he heard a shuffling sound from the direction of the mattress.

"Malik?"

"Hey." His golden hair was rather disheveled; but aside from a bit of grogginess, he seemed alright. The dazed blonde slowly made his way into a half-seated pose, the thick comforter still wrapped around his lower half.

Ryou was pleased to see that his eldest friend was able to sit upright with minimal signs of pain, and he walked over the bedridden youth.

"So..." Ryou gently took a seat on the bed next to his pal.

There was a moment of silence before Malik lowly muttered, "yeah."

"Do you know what you're going to do?"

"I think... I think I'll go the contact point- it's in Damascus. There's a shopkeeper there who's related to Ishizu's husband- he's been holding onto a map for me ever since she left."

Ryou couldn't keep a faint hint of concern from slipping into his voice. "That's quite a ways away- are you certain you're well enough to travel that far?"

Malik gave a snort and dramatically 'fell' backwards onto the bed. "I'm tired of just lying around like a stone- for the first time in my _life_ , I can do as I wish. I won't let a few injuries hold me back!" He glared upwards at the ceiling, as though the dwelling itself was responsible for his confinement.

But the other human wasn't so easily swayed, and he apprehensively re-stated his fears. "I'm just worried that you're letting your eagerness overcome your common sense."

"Ryou." Malik sat back up and stared directly into his companion's eyes, his expression suddenly very serious. "You and I both know that's impossible. I don't have any ' **common sense'**."

This led to a loud bout of laughter from both of the house-guests, which was only interrupted by the return of the landowner himself.  
"I should know better than to ask, but what on Earth are you two screeching about now?" Bakura asked calmly, his arms laden with a fresh batch of firewood.

"Malik wants to leave later today, and we're just discussing his plans before he sets off."

"Well, you've clearly found something that works, and there's no time like the present-" The fiend began making 'shoo-ing' motions towards the front door. "-don't let the door hit you on the-"

" _Actually,_ " Ryou interrupted the impatient demon with a firm nod, "there's still a few more things we need to do- breakfast, for a start; followed by some packing and more planning."

The fiend scowled but didn't protest. Evidently he knew humans couldn't travel as lightly as demons did. 'What pathetic, useless creatures- unable to even make proper use of the land, without forming into protective groups and building unnatural settlements...' Bakura remained silent as Ryou finished making up a morning plate for each of the trio and served them all at the kitchen table. Malik quickly took to the baked potato on his own platter, while Bakura scarfed down the bacon portion of his own plate first. Ryou kept picking at his toast, his mind evidently elsewhere. Eventually Malik excused himself and headed outside, most likely seeking the outhouse. Bakura took advantage of the silence to question the other human.

"Butter?"

"Hmm?" The cocoa-eyed youth glanced at his demonic look-alike in confusion.

"Your bread." He pointed one long-nailed finger towards the now partly-dismantled toast. "Does it need butter?"

"Oh, no; thank you." Ryou gave a sigh as he pushed his breakfast towards the center of the table.

"...it seems I'm just... distracted."

"Evidently." Bakura dryly confirmed. "And just what has you so 'distracted,' then?"

Remembering the differences between humans and demon-folk, Ryou tried to explain things as objectively as possible. "Well, we humans tend to build strong relationships with one another- it's part of how we survive. To severe a many-years-old friendship like the one Malik and I share... well, it's not easy."

"..." Clearly the fiend didn't fully understand the complexities of human affinities, but decided they weren't a quandary worth pursuing. "I see- so you're basically losing a family member?"

"Er, if you want to put it that way; sure, I suppose. It does feel a bit like I'm losing my brother."

"Ah." Bakura frowned as he thought it over from a more familiar perspective. Losing a family member was a far more relate-able notion to him and his kind. Blood-ties were always held in high regard in fiendish society. And Bakura himself certainly knew how painful losing one- or two- of those ties could be... "In that case, let me know what I can do to help."

Ryou gave a bittersweet smile as he quietly replied, "thank you."


End file.
